Berberis plant named ‘Hoho 2’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Berberis , ‘Hoho 2’, that is characterized by its bright gold foliage, its foliage that is resistant to leaf scorch when grown in warm temperatures and high sun levels, and its compact, low growing (flattened) and broadly spreading plant habit.

Botanical classification: Berberis thungergii.

Cultivar designation: ‘Hoho 2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Berberis thungerii, and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Hoho 2’. ‘Hoho 2’ is grown for use as a landscape shrub.

The new cultivar was discovered by the Inventors in June of 2010 as a naturally occurring branch mutation of ‘Aurea’ (not patented) that was growing in a production field in Zevenaar, The Netherlands.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by one the Inventors using softwood stem cuttings in Zevenaar, The Netherlands in July of 2011. Asexual propagation by softwood stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar, which in combination distinguish ‘Hoho 2’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Berberis.

-   -   1. ‘Hoho 2’ exhibits bright gold foliage.     -   2. ‘Hoho 2’ exhibits foliage that is resistant to leaf scorch         when grown in warm temperatures and high sun levels.     -   3. ‘Hoho 2’ exhibits a compact, low growing (flattened) and         broadly spreading plant habit.

The parent plant, ‘Aurea’, differs from ‘Hoho 2’ in having a less compact and more upright plant habit and lighter gold foliage that tends to scorch under high sun levels. ‘Hoho 2’ can be most compared to the cultivars ‘Bogozam’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,215) and ‘Monlers’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,577). Both cultivars are similar to ‘Hoho 2’ in having gold foliage and a compact plant habit. ‘Bogozam’ differs from ‘Hoho 2’ in having a mounded and less spreading plant habit and foliage that tends to scorch under high sun levels. ‘Monlers’ differs from ‘Hoho 2’ in having a more mounded plant habit and in having longer spines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Berberis. The photographs were taken of a plant two-years in age as grown outdoors in a 2-liter container in Zevenaar, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Hoho 2’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Hoho 2’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Berberis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of two-year-old plants of the new cultivar field grown outdoors in 2-liter containers in Zevenaar, The Netherlands. Plants were grown under average day temperatures of 10° to 23° C. and average night temperatures of 1° to 14° C. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General plant characteristics:     -   -   Plant type.—Perennial deciduous shrub, flattened broad             spreading.         -   Plant habit.—Broad spreading to spreading upright.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 24.3 cm in height and 40.5             cm in spread in a 2-liter container and matures to about 75             cm in height and 100 cm in spread.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 5.         -   Disease and pest resistance.—No susceptibility or resistance             to diseases or pest has been observed, however the foliage             has been observed to be healthy under the conditions tested             and no infections by wheat yellow rust caused by Puccinia             striiformis has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, 162B in color with blotches of             163A.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate, about 15 cm in one season on a young             plant.         -   Propagation.—Softwood cuttings. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem size.—Lateral branches are an average of 13.5 cm in             length and 1.5 mm in, diameter.         -   Stem shape.—Round.         -   Stem color.—Young shoots; 179A, later turning N170B on upper             side, 152D on under side, mature stems; N199C to 200B.         -   Stem surface.—Slightly glossy.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Internode length.—Average of 1.1 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Moderate to high with an average of 17             lateral branches.         -   Branching aspect.—Lateral branches slightly angled, in an             average angle of 40°. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Obovate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Long attenuate.         -   Leaf apex.—Broadly acute to abruptly acute.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate, clustered.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces are smooth, upper surface is             very slightly glossy, lower surface is dull.         -   Leaf color.—Upper surface immature foliage; color between             154B to 1B, lower surface immature foliage; 151D, mature             upper surface foliage; N144A, leaves at the base of the             branches (“inside” the plant in the shade) 144A, mature             lower surface foliage; 145A, leaves at the base of the             branches (“inside” the plant in the shade) 139D.         -   Leaf number.—5 per cluster at each node, average of 13 nodes             per lateral branch, average of 65 leaves per lateral branch.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 2.4 cm in length and 1.4 cm in width.         -   Leaf aspect.—Held nearly horizontal.         -   Leaf fragrance.—None.         -   Leaf veins.—Pinnate, upper surface color; 144C, shaded             leaves at base of branch (“inside” the plant in the shade)             144A, lower surface color; N144A, shaded leaves at base of             branch (“inside” the plant in the shade) 144B.         -   Petioles.—Average of 3 mm in length and 1 mm in width, 181A             to 181B in color, glabrous surface.         -   Thorn.—Below each node is an average of three very sharp             thorns; average length of main thorn is 5 mm, average length             of lateral thorn is 4 mm, average width at base for thorns             is 1 mm, color; young thorns are 165C to 165D, tip is 200A             to 200B, older thorns are 200D, tip is 200A to 200B. -   Flower description: No flowers have been observed. -   Fruit and seed: Seed production has not been observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Berberis plant named ‘Hoho 2’ as herein illustrated and described. 